66 



certain forms are attracted by such conditions. Many species 

 of Ilymenoptera excavate burrows in the sand, and carry in 

 spiders and insects to feed their young- upon. Other species 

 are mud-daubers and fasten their neatly moulded nests to 

 various objects, especially to unexposed parts of buildings. 

 Peloppeus cementarius is very abundant and form a single 

 newly constructed cell ; I took eleven medium sized spiders with 

 an egg of the wasp attached to one of them. In certain places 

 one frequently sees the spider wasps, Pompilidae, dragging a 

 spider too large for it to carry, and other species of wasps were 

 often observed catching flies in various places. 



Members of the Bembecidae are of especial interest as 

 tl'.ey feed their young on insects that they are able to capture. 

 Five specimens of this family are known from Cameron; Mone- 

 dula Carolina, Bembex belfragei, Sphecius speciosus, Bembidula 

 fodius and INIicrobembex monodonta. The first two were ob- 

 served to be important enemies of horseflies which are very nu- 

 merous and annoying in the region, and the third is known as 

 the cicada-killer because it feeds its young on Cicada. The last 

 one has been seen carrying horseflies of the genus Chrysops. 

 All the species appear to be governed by circumstances, however, 

 for if their usual species cannot be procured others are sub- 

 stituted. 



A predaceous insect of special interest, on account of its 

 uncommon occurrence, is one of the mantids, Brunneria borealis, 

 which is figured on plate II. Several- specimeiis of this species 

 were taken but all of them were immature. The insect was 

 described by Dr. Scudder from a specimen procured on the 

 Gulf coast of Texas, and it is stated that the genus otherwise 

 only contains South American species. It is a notable addition 

 to the known fauna of Louisiana. 



Seven species of beetles of the family Cicindelidae were 

 identified. Some of these are abundant in individuals; the 

 adults run over the sand and catch small insects of various 

 orders, while the larvae construct burrows and station them- 

 selves with their sharp jaws at the surface and await the appear- 

 ance of some insect suitable for food. 



Several species of Neuroptera were taken. The larvae of 



